Czech government addressed addiction prevention and abolition of advisory bodies

On Monday 23 February 2026, Andrej Babiš's government held another regular meeting at the Straka Academy. The Cabinet met for the first time in its complete composition, including the newly appointed Environment Minister Igor Červený. Among other things, the ministers discussed the implementation of the Addiction Policy Action Plan, decided to abolish several working and advisory bodies of the government and approved the transfer of selected agendas to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The cabinet meeting was preceded by a meeting of the Committee on the European Union at government level. The cabinet members discussed the Czech Republic's position on the temporary decarbonisation fund and the revision of CO₂ emission limits for cars and vans. The committee also approved the limits of the Czech position for further negotiations on the so-called chat control, a proposal to tighten the control of content on social networks.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said that the government cannot support the European Commission's proposal to create a decarbonisation fund because its creation is planned for 2026, while revenues will not be received until 2028. The cabinet also does not support the proposal to revise the CO₂ emission limits. According to the Prime Minister, it is unacceptable to ban conventional cars with internal combustion engines in a situation where the automotive industry has invested heavily in reducing emissions and consumption. The government therefore insists on the cancellation of the proposed measures.

The Cabinet also decided to abolish several working and advisory bodies, namely the Government Council for Competitiveness and Economic Growth, the Government Council for the Memory Agenda and the Government Committee for Strategic Investments. The positions of the Government Commissioner for Economic Resilience and Modernisation, the Commissioner for International Negotiations and the Government Coordinator for Strategic Communications will also disappear. According to the Prime Minister, these are advisory structures that the Government does not consider necessary.

The government also discussed a report on the implementation of the Addiction Policy Action Plan 2023-2025, which notes progress in prevention and strengthening professional capacity, for example by expanding addiction education, launching the National Addiction Screening Portal, and responding to new risks, including digital addiction and new nicotine products.

The report also highlights persistent shortcomings in nationwide prevention campaigns, low availability of selective and indicated prevention programmes and poor use of brief interventions in the health sector. The Prime Minister also identified the importance of addressing the illicit sale of addictive substances such as kratom and cannabis, and highlighted the role of education in preventing addiction.

The Cabinet also considered a report assessing the implementation of the Circular Czech Republic 2040 Action Plan for the period 2022 to 2024. Of the eleven tasks set for 2024, ten have been fulfilled and one has been partially fulfilled due to the ongoing legislative adjustments at the EU level. According to the material, the Czech Republic is fulfilling key European obligations, for example, in the area of reducing single-use plastics, recycling and circular management of raw materials.

The ministers also approved the transfer of the space activities agenda from the Ministry of Transport to the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the transfer of the agenda of the Council for Research, Development and Innovation from the Government Office to the same ministry. According to the government, the centralisation is expected to contribute to more efficient management, closer cooperation between specialist departments and savings in operational and labour costs.

The Government also discussed three legislative proposals by MPs. It supported the draft law on provincial symbols and flags, which seeks to legally enshrine the symbols of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, but disagreed with proposed amendments to the laws on supplementary pension savings and on budgetary rules.

government.cz/gnews.cz - GH